Nigerians Remember Murtala Muhammed
13 February 2014 By Abi Giwa
Muhammed
Murtala Muhammed, Nigeria's military head of state, assassinated February 13 1976, remembered every year by generality of Nigerians, for action packed governance. He came into office through a military coup that unseated General Yakubu Gowon, and steered the nation toward realization of a government that touched Nigeria's toiling people.
Ironically, his government's commissioner of defense, General Illiya D. Bsalla, was one of the conspirators and sponsors of Buka Suka Dimka, who pulled the trigger that killed Muhammed, on his way to the Mosque for the Jumaat prayers on a Friday, 38 years ago today.
Many Nigerians believe that since Muhammed's assassination, Nigeria has been traveling like an aimless ball tossed uselessly about by marauding leaders, whose primary motive has been to enrich themselves. Ordinary Nigerians get poorer, while the bootlegging leaders and their contractors get richer. And oil, the source of the country wealth has become a curse with millions of unemployed youths amid infrastructure decay and unaccountability.
However, with President Goodluck Jonathan's removal of Princess Stella Oduah and three other ministers on Wednesday this week, Nigerians - though shocked by the development - say they feel the return to the days of accountability, despite its late coming over the aviation minister's purchase of two BMW cars, at a whopping price beyond explanation.
Ironically, his government's commissioner of defense, General Illiya D. Bsalla, was one of the conspirators and sponsors of Buka Suka Dimka, who pulled the trigger that killed Muhammed, on his way to the Mosque for the Jumaat prayers on a Friday, 38 years ago today.
Many Nigerians believe that since Muhammed's assassination, Nigeria has been traveling like an aimless ball tossed uselessly about by marauding leaders, whose primary motive has been to enrich themselves. Ordinary Nigerians get poorer, while the bootlegging leaders and their contractors get richer. And oil, the source of the country wealth has become a curse with millions of unemployed youths amid infrastructure decay and unaccountability.
However, with President Goodluck Jonathan's removal of Princess Stella Oduah and three other ministers on Wednesday this week, Nigerians - though shocked by the development - say they feel the return to the days of accountability, despite its late coming over the aviation minister's purchase of two BMW cars, at a whopping price beyond explanation.
